Spring counterbalance and lock for pressing machines



Sept. 15, 1931. H. A. STEELE 1,323,478

SPRING COUNTERBALANCE AND LOCK FOR PRESSING MACHINES Filed Sept. 27. 1929 "mu," "mum A TTORNEY5.

Patented Sept. 15, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY A. STEELE, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO THE PROSPERITY COM- PANY INC., OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK SPRING COUNTERBALANCE AND LOCK FOR PBESSING MACHINES Application filed September 27, 1829. Serial No. 395,561.

This invention relates to pressing machines, and has for its object, a particularly simple and compact arrangement of the component parts thereof, particularly of the actuating mechanism and the spring which tends to open the press when the actuating mechanism is released. It further has for its object a particularly simple latch and release mechanism for holdlng the press closed.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In'describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view, partly in elevation, of a pressing machine embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the machine.

Figure 3 is a sectional view, approximately on the planes of line 3-3, Figure 1.

The invention comprises, generally, a hollow base 1, which serves as a housing for the actuating mechanism or the greater part thereof, a buck 2 which is mounted on a bolster or goose neck 3 which in turn is mounted upon the base, a head 4 movable toward and from the buck, a lever 5 pivoted between its ends at 6 to an upwardly extending portion of the base 1 at the rear of the buck, the lever having a forwardly extending arm which carries the head 4 and a downwardly extending arm 7 which extends into the base 1 where it coacts with actuating mechanism located in the base.

8 designates a spring which opens the press when the actuating means is released. This spring 8 extends lengthwise ofthe forwardly extending arm of the head carrying lever 5, crosswise of the pivot 6 and above the same, and is secured to a solid end portion 8 at its front end. An adjusting screw 9 threads into the solid end portion 8" and connects the spring 8 to the forward end of the lever 5. The rear end of the spring 8 is connected at 10 to an arm 11 provided on the base 1 and extending to the rear and above the pivot 6. The screw 9 has its head 12 exposed at the front of the lever 5 where it can be readily adjusted to move the end portion,8 to chan e the length and consequent tension 0 the spring 8.

The lever 5 is in the form of a housing, that is, it includes side portions and a top portion or is U shaped in cross section, as is shown in Figure 3, and the side portions are provided with bearings 13' which are mounted on the pivot 6.. The spring 8 is located in the housing formed by the forward extending arm of the lever 5.

The actuating mechanism includes a suitable operating member as a pedal lever 14 which swings forwardly and rearwardly, and has an angular arm 15 at its upper end located in the base and pivoted between its ends at 16 to lug 17 in the base. The motion is transmitted from the operating member or lever 14 to the lever 5 through this arm 15 and other motion transmittin means as a lever 18 pivoted at 19 between lts ends to lugs 20 in the base and pivotally connected as by a pin-and-slot at 21 to the rear end of the arm 15 and having a follower or roller 22 at its rear end coacting with the cam 23 mounted in the downwardly extending arm 7 of the lever 5.

The construction of the actuatin means, per se, forms no part of this inventlon.

The press is held in its closed position I against the opening action of the spring 8 by a lock or latch means located at the front end of the hollow base and having a manual located on the outside of the base, this lock or latch being here shown as a lever 24 pivoted at 25 in the front wall of the base 1 and having a pawl 26 which coacts with ratchet teeth or some part actuated by the prime mover 14. As hereshown, the ratchet teeth are provided on a plate 27 secured to the upper end of the operating member or lever 14 within the base 1 and at the angle of the lever 14 and its arm 15. The latch-is normally held out of operative position and is returned to its inoperative position when released by a spring 28. When the press is closed, the act1on of the sprin tending to o n the ress back through the evers 5, 18 an 15 hol s the pawl 26 from being moved out of operative position by the spring 28. To open the press, the lever 14 is moved further in the direction it is moved into to close the press, thus relieving the pawl 26 of the holding action of the ratchet teeth 27 so that the spring 28 is free to react and move the pawl out of o era tive position so that when the foot 0 the operator is removed from the foot pedal of the lever 14, the press will open freely under the reaction of the spring 8. The general construction of the base 1, lever 5 and the actuating mechanism forms the subject matter of the pending application of Ernest Davis, Serial No. 376,948, filed July 9, 1929.

The location of the spring 8 lends itself to the compactness of the structure and also to the ready adjustment of the spring and also, owing to the' relative arrangement of the spring with respect to the arm 5 and its pivot 6, the press opens with any easy as distinguished from a violent action.

What I claim is: p

1. In a pressing machine, a base, a buck mounted on the base, a head movable toward and from the buck, an angle lever pivoted at its angle to the base, one arm of the lever carrying the head and the other arm extending downwardly, means coacting with the latter arm to close the press, and a spring for opening the press, said spring extending lengthwise of the head carr ing arm of the lever and connected at its ront end to the head carrying lever and at its rear end to the frame.

2. In a pressing machine, a base, a buck mounted on the base, a head movable toward and from the buck, an angle lever pivoted at its angle to the base, one arm of the lever carrying the head and the other arm extending downwardly, means coacting with the latter arm to close the press, and a spring for opening the press, said spring extending lengthwise of the head carrying. arm of the lever'and connected at its front end to the head carrying'lever and at its rear end to the frame, said spring extending crosswise of the pivot of said lever above the same.

3. In a. pressing machine, a base, a buck mounted on the base, a head movable toward and from the buck, an angle lever pivoted at its angle to the base, one arm of the lever carrying the head and the other arm extend ing downwardly, means coacting with the latter arm to close the press, and a spring for opening the press, said spring extending lengthwise of the head carrying arm of the lever and connected at its front end to the head carrying lever and at its rear end to the frame, said lever including side portions and the spring being located between the side portions.

4. In a pressing machine, a base, a buck mounted on the base, a head movable toward and from the buck, an angle lever pivoted at its angle to the base, one arm of the lever carrying the head and the other arm extending downwardly, means coacting with the latter arm to close the press, and a spring for opening the press, said spring extending lengthwise of the head carrying arm of the lever and connected at its front end to the head carrying lever and at its rear end to the frame, said spring extending crosswise of the pivot of said lever above the same, and the lever including side and top portions forming a housing, the spring being located within the housing.

5. In a pressing machine, a base, a buck mounted on the base, a head movable toward and from the buck, an angle lever pivoted at its angle to the base and having one arm extending forwardly and rearwardly and carrying the head and the other arm extending downwardly, means located in the base and coacting with the latter arm to close the press, and a spring for opening the press, said spring extending lengthwise of the head carrying arm of the lever and being connected at its front end to the lever and at its rear end to the frame.

6. In a pressing machine, a base, a buck mounted on the base, a head movable toward and from the buck, an angle lever pivoted at its angle to the base and having a forwardly extending arm carrying the head and its other arm extending downwardly, means located in the base and coacting with the latter arm to close the press, said lever comprising side portions and a top portion whereby the lever is substantially inverted and U-shape in cross section forming a housing, the side portions of which are pivotally mounted on the base, an arm projecting from the base into the lever in the rear of the pivot of the lever, a spring located in the head carrying arm of the lever and connected at its front end to said lever and at its rear end to said arm, and means located in the base for actuating the lever to close the press.

7. In a pressing machine, a base, a buck mounted on the base, a head movable toward and from the buck, a head carrying lever pivoted to the base, means for actuating the head carrying lever to close the press, means tending to open the press, a pawl coacting with a portion of the press closing means to hold the press closed, a manual pivoted to the base for moving the pawl into operative position, a spring normally tending to move the pawl and manual out of operative position and means on the actuating means for holding the pawl in its operative position when the press is closed, the pawl holding means being releasable upon slight additional actuation of the actuating means when the press is closed.

8. In a pressing machine, a base, a buck mounted on the base, a head movable toward and from the buck, a head carryinglever pivoted to the base, means located within the base for aetunting the head carrying lever to close the press and means tending to open the press, a lateh enacting with a portion of the press closing means within the base to hold the press closed, a spring normally tending to move the latch out of operative position, a handle portion for the latch located on the outside of the base and movable manually into operative position. and means on the actuat ing means for holding the latch in its operative position when the press is elosed, the latrh holding means being releasable upon slight additional actuation of the aetuating means when the press is closed.

S). In a pressing machine. a base, a buek mounted on the base, a head movable toward and from the buck, a head earryiug lever pivoted to the base, means within the base for actuating the head carrying lever to close the mess and means tending to open the press, a lateh e acting with a portion of the press closing means within the base to hold the press do ed. a portion of the aetuating means havlug t'aia'het teeth and the latch being pivoted and Inn ing a pawl maeting with the ratchet teeth. a spring tending to move the latch out t management with the ratehet teeth, and a handhevtending through the front of the base for moving the latch against the spring.

it). In a garment or laundry pressing maehine in i-m'nbinatiou a base; a buck mounted on the base: a leve pivotally mounted on the base: a pressing ad earried by said lever for movement luoditl and from the buck; means to operate the lever to close the press; a spring tending to open the press. said spring extending lengthwise of the lever; means eonneeting the forward end of the spring to the lever; and means connecting the rear end of the spring to the frame.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto si ned my name, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, and State of New York, this 13th day of September, 1929.

- HARRY A. STEELE. 

